Sediment Filter: Well Water

Posted by Pavel314 on September 18, 2005, 12:19 pm

We have a 125' well with a submersible pump. Occasionally, we get some fine
silt in the water, either white or rusty, but not enough to cause any
problems.

The old pump died last weekend after 25 years of service so we had a new one
put in. Unfortunately, this stirred up all sorts of sediment in the lines
and we've had frequent spells of orange or murky water. I've been thinking
of putting in some sort of filter on the main inlet and found several
options on the web through a Google search.

What I'd like is some sort of tank where the water goes through a filter,
allowing fine particles to be trapped and sink to the bottom. It should be
large enough so that I only have to change or clean the filter every month
or so. A filter that can be cleaned and re-used would be preferable to a
disposable.

Has anyone had experience with this sort of thing? Any advice or
recommendations would be appreciated.

Paul

Posted by SQLit on September 18, 2005, 11:09 am

> We have a 125' well with a submersible pump. Occasionally, we get some

fine

> silt in the water, either white or rusty, but not enough to cause any
> problems.
> The old pump died last weekend after 25 years of service so we had a new

one

> put in. Unfortunately, this stirred up all sorts of sediment in the lines
> and we've had frequent spells of orange or murky water. I've been thinking
> of putting in some sort of filter on the main inlet and found several
> options on the web through a Google search.
> What I'd like is some sort of tank where the water goes through a filter,
> allowing fine particles to be trapped and sink to the bottom. It should be
> large enough so that I only have to change or clean the filter every month
> or so. A filter that can be cleaned and re-used would be preferable to a
> disposable.
> Has anyone had experience with this sort of thing? Any advice or
> recommendations would be appreciated.
> Paul

Sand or diatomatious earth comes to mind, both can be used as a swimming
pool filter.

Sand would might be less hassle for ya, depending on the amount and pressure
your pump can develop. Back washing takes volume and pressure to remove the
water.

I used a paper filter as a whole house water cleaner. Changed the paper once
every 6 months. It cleaned all of the water I used even the pool and
sprinklers.

Posted by Jeff on September 18, 2005, 3:08 pm

> We have a 125' well with a submersible pump. Occasionally, we get some
> fine silt in the water, either white or rusty, but not enough to cause any
> problems.
> The old pump died last weekend after 25 years of service so we had a new
> one put in. Unfortunately, this stirred up all sorts of sediment in the
> lines and we've had frequent spells of orange or murky water. I've been
> thinking of putting in some sort of filter on the main inlet and found
> several options on the web through a Google search.
> What I'd like is some sort of tank where the water goes through a filter,
> allowing fine particles to be trapped and sink to the bottom. It should be
> large enough so that I only have to change or clean the filter every month
> or so. A filter that can be cleaned and re-used would be preferable to a
> disposable.
> Has anyone had experience with this sort of thing? Any advice or
> recommendations would be appreciated.
> Paul

I had a black sediment in my well water and got sick of using the
prototypical whole house filter. It was difficult to remove, I had numerous
resealing problems and I was running through a fair number of filters
annually. Finally ended up with this product.

http://www.water-filters-purifiers-softeners.com/a/ppf/id/1195/pt/NT100+Sand+Separator/shopexd.asp

On the first one I tried the mesh was too fine and required back flushing
ever other day. I order one with a 250 mesh and it did the trick for my
situation. I back flush every 3 or 4 weeks. The unit bottom valve opens
and the swirling action of the water removes sediment. I find this doesn't
always do the trick, especially for more clayish type substantaces, so
periodically, I will turn the water off, remove the filter, brush it, and
then reinsert. It will probably pay for itself in a couple of years,
depending on the type and how fast you use filters in a typical whole house
filter system.

If you have copious amounts of sediment, then you may want to put two of
these, with different size mesh, in line.

One final note, the sediment will end up clogging and corroding filters in
home applicances (washing machines, refrigerator water dispensors, etc.) so
it would probably be best to eliminate the problem before it moves on down
the line.

Regards

Posted by Goedjn on September 19, 2005, 12:17 pm

On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 12:19:07 -0400, "Pavel314"

>We have a 125' well with a submersible pump. Occasionally, we get some fine
>silt in the water, either white or rusty, but not enough to cause any
>problems.
>The old pump died last weekend after 25 years of service so we had a new one
>put in. Unfortunately, this stirred up all sorts of sediment in the lines
>and we've had frequent spells of orange or murky water. I've been thinking
>of putting in some sort of filter on the main inlet and found several
>options on the web through a Google search.
>What I'd like is some sort of tank where the water goes through a filter,
>allowing fine particles to be trapped and sink to the bottom. It should be
>large enough so that I only have to change or clean the filter every month
>or so. A filter that can be cleaned and re-used would be preferable to a
>disposable.
>Has anyone had experience with this sort of thing? Any advice or
>recommendations would be appreciated.

Get the well-water tested in a lab to find out exactly what
the contamination is, before investing more than a few dollars
in filters that might be addressing the wrong problem.

I'd stick two of those cheap cannister filters from home
depot on in series, and not drink the water until the
results of the lab-test come back.

I'm .. well, not surprised, but dissapointed, that the
people who replaced the pump didn't make this part
of the routine. Any time you mess with a well,
you should do a water test shortly thereafter.

--Goedjn

Posted by Pavel314 on September 20, 2005, 8:42 pm

> On Sun, 18 Sep 2005 12:19:07 -0400, "Pavel314"

>>We have a 125' well with a submersible pump. Occasionally, we get some
>>fine
>>silt in the water, either white or rusty, but not enough to cause any
>>problems.
>>The old pump died last weekend after 25 years of service so we had a new
>>one
>>put in. Unfortunately, this stirred up all sorts of sediment in the lines
>>and we've had frequent spells of orange or murky water. I've been thinking
>>of putting in some sort of filter on the main inlet and found several
>>options on the web through a Google search.
>>What I'd like is some sort of tank where the water goes through a filter,
>>allowing fine particles to be trapped and sink to the bottom. It should be
>>large enough so that I only have to change or clean the filter every month
>>or so. A filter that can be cleaned and re-used would be preferable to a
>>disposable.
>>Has anyone had experience with this sort of thing? Any advice or
>>recommendations would be appreciated.

> Get the well-water tested in a lab to find out exactly what
> the contamination is, before investing more than a few dollars
> in filters that might be addressing the wrong problem.
> I'd stick two of those cheap cannister filters from home
> depot on in series, and not drink the water until the
> results of the lab-test come back.
> I'm .. well, not surprised, but dissapointed, that the
> people who replaced the pump didn't make this part
> of the routine. Any time you mess with a well,
> you should do a water test shortly thereafter.
> --Goedjn

Thanks for the suggestion; I picked up the filter at Home Depot. The guys
who put the pump in gave it an overdose of chlorine to kill any bacteria
they may have introduced and said we should get a water test within a week,
which I intend to do.

Paul

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